Civilized Discussion
by peroxidepest17
Summary: With all the craziness of shipper wars and character bashing, I kind of wondered what the characters themselves would think about this.


**Title:** Civilized Discussion  
**Author:** Celeste  
**Rating:** G  
**Pairing:** Mentions of S/B and A/C, but nothing concrete.  
**Summary:** With all the craziness of shipper wars and character bashing, I kind of wondered what the characters themselves would think about this.  
**Disclaimer:** Spike and Angel aren't mine. If they were, I wouldn't be as generous as Joss and share. ;P You understand. Mentions of the other characters are in here, and they aren't mine either.  
**Author's notes:** I don't' mean to offend anyone with this mini piece, because I know there are lots of people who straddle the fence (so to speak) and who don't behave like I've mentioned in the story. But there are some who do act this way, and I just thought I'd share my thoughts on it.   
**Feedback:** (keviesprincess@netscape.net) It's appreciated. Flames (because I know they'll be coming) are appreciated too, just because someone decided to take the time to write me. I figure if I get a reaction of some sort, I've done my job. ;)   
**Dedication:** To Debbie, who loves Spike and N'Sync, and Ker, who loves Angel and the Backstreet Boys. Both of them are my sisters, and I learn so much from them because they always seem to disagree on opinion but never let it come between their love for one another. 

Spike and Angel sat around the hotel lobby in Los Angeles, regarding each other for a moment. Angel hadn't expected his grand-childe to show up at his door as suddenly as he had, but when he'd seen the tired, defiant look in Spike's eye, he knew. He knew why the younger vampire had come here, and Angel had sympathized with him. It was times like these that they needed a little civility just to stay sane. It was funny how the civility came from the two of them, the vampires. "How's Sunnydale been treating you?" Angel asked after a moment. He offered Spike a mug of blood, which the younger vampire took gratefully.

"Thanks. Sunnydale's been all right. Been an uphill battle."

Angel nodded sympathetically. "It always is."

"How's LA been?"

"Just as tough. Everyone thinks the world is over because of the network change," Angel sighed wearily. 

"You know how it is. Doomsayers are always abound when things are different than they were. They'll disappear as the pieces fall. It'll work out," Spike assured his grand-sire.

"I hope so."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, contemplating what was going on with each of them respectively, and the angry mobs that had formed on either side of the spectrum of their lives. It was all a bloody mess. B/Aers discrediting the very idea of anything besides their beloved ship, verbally hanging and crucifying those that thought outside of their particular dogma. On the other side of the boldly etched boundary line, S/Bers irreverently burned flags and made stinging remarks about the old ways and preached their ideas for renovation without thinking about the past. Either side refused to think about how the old ways had been a beautiful stepping-stone towards the new ways, and how the new ways could be the revelation of something grand and something different but just as beautiful, if they opened their eyes and accepted it. 

Spike coughed after a while. "I'm not trying to replace you, you know."

"I know."

"They think I am."

"They?"

"Those doomsayers. Think because things are changing in the makeup that I'm trying to wedge myself into a place I'd never be able to get."

Angel nodded. "I understand how you feel. I know you're not trying to replace me. I know I'm still a part of Buffy's heart, that I'll always have a place there. Doesn't mean there isn't enough room for someone else though. She's got a big heart."

"Wish the fans could see it."

Angel turned slightly sad. "Me too." 

"What I want to know is, why all your fans seem to think I'm a bloody two dimensional character and you're the bleedin' god of the vampire fandom because you got to her first."

Angel sighed and shrugged. "They're afraid of change, always have been. It's human nature. And they have trouble letting go of what seemed comfortable, what came first. Which is weird, because we haven't had any trouble letting go ourselves, and we're right in the thick of it," the elder vampire explained. "Well, we didn't have THAT much trouble, " he amended, sipping his beer. "There's always a little." 

Spike snorted. "Those fans…can be bloody stubborn, can't they?"

"Oh yeah," Angel agreed. "You should hear some of the stuff they say on my side. Apparently I can't stand on my own two feet without Buffy and I still can't live without her, despite two years since and 242 before. It's kind of funny."

"I don't see you laughing."

"Well, it's sad at the same time."

"Ah."

"I know they bash you a lot. I'm sorry about that," Angel apologized.

Spike waved it off. "No hard feelings. My fans do the same to you."

Angel groaned. "Tell me about it."

"You think they'll ever stop the war, come out of their foxholes and see the light?"

"I don't know. Some of them just like the battle."

"Gets old, if you ask me."

"Hear, hear." Angel raised his glass in Spike's direction, and the other vamp returned the gesture, their mugs hitting with a light 'clink' that echoed throughout the empty lobby. 

"I mean, you and Buffy, chemistry. Me and Buffy. We had it too, but we moved on, right?"

Spike nodded. "Right. And she and I, we're just getting' started. I mean, how can they really bash it fairly until they've seen it, right?"

"Precisely." 

"And it's not like they're the bloody oracles of the PTB's. How do they know what's going to happen and who are they to immediately write it off? Just like you'n the Cheerleader."

"Cordelia." 

"Yeah. Sorry."

"It's all right. Want another beer? Some blood?"

"No, thanks. I'm good," Spike responded, holding out a hand to stop his grand-sire. "You've got some good stock though."

"Yeah, well, if you have connections in LA it's amazing what you can find."

"I'll bet."

"So, what do you think you're going to do?" Angel asked, after a second.

Spike shrugged. "Guess I'll head back to Sunnyhell. See what happens tween me'n Buffy."

"Even after all the B/A lynch mobs?"

Spike shrugged again, smirking. "Always liked a hard fight. Odds stacked against me, back to the wall. Even if I don't win, figure it'll be a good battle."

Angel smiled. "Good to see you haven't lost your best qualities."

"Yeah, well, spread the word to your cult when you get the chance. I've got potential. And I'm really likeable if they take off the B/A colored glasses."

"I'll tell them that. I'd hate for them to miss out on a good thing because they're too busy running around like headless chickens."

"Thanks, mate. I'll try'n and thin the S/B anti-Angel lines. You're a likeable guy in my book."

"Thanks, and my pleasure. Give Buffy my best."

"I'll do that. I'll have her call you, E-mail you. She's been wanting to check up on you, you know. Make sure that in all this craziness you're all right."

"I'm fine. I mean, I'm not the one holding the picket lines and the protest signs against you and her being together. I think it'll be interesting."

"Right. Good luck with Cordelia, then. Hopefully those picket lines won't thicken?"

Angel looked out his door, where the aforementioned fans with the B/A and C/D colored glasses chanted anti A/C and S/B sentiments. "Cordy and I, we're tough. We'll see it through, no matter where it goes. And it'll get better. I don't think it can get worse."

Spike chuckled. "Can always get worse. But we keep fighting anyway. See what happens."

The older vampire nodded. "Yeah."

"Be careful, William. Watch yourself, and play out whatever you're dealt. It could be a good hand, in spite of how hard it seems right now."

Spike nodded. "You too, Angelus. Don't let the S/Bers bring you down, eh? I was never a better vampire than you, and you've never been a better good guy than me. We're completely different. Our stories are gonna play out completely different, too."

"I have to keep telling myself that," Angel agreed.

"I'll have Red print us out some bumper stickers, or something. We got to remember, when everyone else is forgetting." He offered his hand to Angel. "Well, I'd better be off. Good luck."

Angel took the proffered hand and shook it. "Good luck." 

**END **


End file.
